Sunday, August 8, 2010

In the course of the last years studies on the beneficial effects of anti-oxidant supplements on athletic performance have been inconsistent. A recent study by Shagordosky et.al. does yet underline the usefullness of low/moderate dose anti-oxidant supplementation in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. The scientists found that the participants who received an anti-oxidant supplement with 500 mg vitamin C, 200 iu vitamin E, 60mg co-enzyme Q10 and 100mcg selenium

exhibited significant increases in large arterial elasticity index (LAEI) as well as small arterial elasticity index (SAEI). A significant decline HbA1C and a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol were also observed.

I would suspect that the different effects of anti-oxidants in healthy and unhealthy individuals may well be attributed to different levels of "pro-oxidant" activity. Recent studies (e.g. Ristow et.al. 2009) have shown that a certain amount of oxidation as induced by resistant exercise is necessary to trigger the health-promoting effects of physical exercise in humans - huge amounts of anti-oxidants will prevent these efffects. If, on the other hand, the oxidation processes exceed a certain level or are induced by an unhealthy diet, the provision of appropriate amounts of anti-oxidants is obviously beneficial for overall health. It is - as always - a matter of keeping things balanced.

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